Food Insecurity: Reps Seek Support Of Developmental Partners

In a bid to combat the escalating threats of malnutrition and food insecurity in Nigeria, the House of Representatives is seeking the support of development partners to identify and implement effective solutions.

Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Chike Okafor, stated this during the flag-off of the National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security and the investiture of the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas in a workshop for newly constituted leadership of the state Houses of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and food security.

Okafor noted that malnutrition and food insecurity remain a constant threat to socio-economic development in Nigeria, exacerbated by inflation.

He expressed optimism that legislative efforts can make a difference, driven by a joint work plan with flexibility for incorporation of state-specific agencies.

While delivering his keynote address, the Speaker Tajudeen Abbas underscored the need for increased resource mobilization, legislation, and oversight on issues related to nutrition and food security.

Representated by his deputy, Benjamin Kalu, the speaker emphasized that optimum health is a pre-requisite for economic development and cannot be attained amidst malnutrition and food insecurity.

In his remarks, the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Debo Ogundoyin, reaffirmed the Network’s commitment to working collectively towards the eradication of malnutrition and the promotion of food security.

Ogundoyin, who is also the Chairman, Conference of Speakers pledged his unwavering support to the Network and its Work Plan, recognizing the importance of legislative action in driving necessary reforms and policies.

Prof. Ali Pate, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, said that there was a need to come together to deal with the issue of malnutrition, adding that they remained the pillars of President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.

He said that the country had struggled with acute malnutrition, adding that there was a need to deal with it and the issue of over- and undernutrition.

He said that issues of malnutrition affect the performance of a child in school and their productivity, adding that the child’s survival depends on nutrition.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. Abubakar Bagudu said that nutrition and food security challenges are constitutional and that the three tiers of government must invest more in them.

He added that this involved giving each of the three tiers pride of place in what they could do to address the menace. 

The Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, said, Nigeria need to identify strategies to prevent and alleviate the suffering of the citizens as Manultrition is a major issue in Nigeria, affecting most children.”

He listed banditry, kidnapping, and policy frame work, among others, as some of the factors responsible for the malnutrition and food crisis in the country. 

This, according to him, includes development partners to effectively address the manpower and food crises in Nigeria, as no family should be denied their basic right to food and nutrition.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji